Week 4 Post

When I read this quote from Lisa Delpit, I definitely agreed that it is wrong to attack a student for their linguistic form.  If a teacher were to constantly correct the student for the words they used or the way they said things, that child would immediately feel like his or her family was always wrong and uneducated.  If the word "ignorant" is brought into the conversation, the situation is even worse.  People, especially teachers, can not decide what is the correct way to talk.  If they are calling someone out on being ignorant for how they have grown up, then they are only making themselves look ignorant.  I do, however, believe that it is the teacher's job to educate children on the language they are speaking.  That doesn't mean the teacher has to be forceful about it and tell the student that they are wrong, but simply show by example how one would talk in the classroom.  The child will pick up the formal language at school and start to use it but can talk however they feel comfortable with their family or friends at home.  A child's personal identity should never be changed because of their education, they should be willing to increase their knowledge.       

Week 3 Post

My question for the week is how do you transform a boring classroom into a gratifying learning environment? This week, I really enjoyed the exercise we did when we broke down into our groups based on grade level of interest and we created our own classroom.  Going into Early Childhood Education, I never really thought about how I would design a classroom but I now see that the setting of the classroom is vital for a child's learning.  My group decided that it is important to have colorful and creative surroundings, a class pet, a designated area for reading and play time and comfortable carpeting on the floor.  We also agreed that having some sort of discipline and reward system is essential to shape these kids into great young people.  I think the hardest part of this process will be discovering what kind of teacher I want to be and what kind of classroom I will create for my future students.

The "Parking Lot"

For my education class, I was told to find a location (other than campus) and describe/interpret what was going on in this setting.  So, I chose to do this while on my First Year Retreat at Carroll Lodge this weekend.  My friend Annie agreed to do it with me on our last day while everyone else was busy with other things.  We chose to sit in a sun room attached to the house and sit at the table together.  After just a few minutes, we both described the setting in great detail and interpreted that everyone was in a happy and peaceful mood from escaping hectic life on campus.  It was so interesting to be sitting in the same place and see the different and also quite similar ways Annie and I looked at things.  Below, is what Annie and I saw.

My Description:

• 25 windows
• 3 couches
• 21 chairs
• 9 people all sitting in wooden chairs around a long wood table
• One painting on the wall
• Trees surrounding the entire house 
• 2 people holding sandwiches
• 7 people holding black pens and writing on small slips of paper
• Laughter in the other room
• Silence in this room

My Interpretation:

• Some people were enjoying their last meal on retreat while others were explaining how much they appreciated their new friends by writing positive notes
• Everyone was in a relaxed mood because they got to escape normal life for a weekend

Annie's Description:

• 9 people in the room
• Long wooden table connected to a smaller wooden table
• 21 chairs
• 2 couches
• Windows surrounding the room on three sides, while the 4th side connects to the community room
• 8/9 people are sitting at the table, the other person is on a couch
• there are papers, folders, water bottles and pens on the table

Annie's Interpretation:

• Everyone is sitting around enjoying themselves and the presence of their new friends
• Some people are writing letters and some people are enjoying non-cafeteria food
• There is a joyful atmosphere present in the room

WebPost1: Class Survey

The most recent picture I have of me and my best friend

Hi!  My name is Sammi and I'm from Aurora, Ohio.  I am interested in Early Childhood Education and I am not sure which subject.  I love to do service for others around the country and I hope to be involved in the immersion trips provided here at JCU!  In high school, I was very involved with things like Cross Country, Track, Student Council and Key Club.  I have been told that I am very good with people, especially children , which is why I thought that Education is the best major for me!  One thing that really helps me become more outgoing in the classroom is when the other students are open and talkative with the professor as well.  In class, I feel that I participate when asked but occasionally I am afraid to ask questions.  I complete my assignments right away and I am mostly a visual learner, therefore I love to take notes.  When I do not understand something, I always ask a teacher or another student for assistance.  One formative memory that I have is last year as a senior, I took Government and I did not like the way my teacher taught because he never used notes or books and never gave us tests.  I thought that was odd but now I realize that I remember more information from that class than any other class I've ever taken. One issue I have with the field of education is that the teachers give us information to memorize but they do not give us tricks to actually remember essential information that we will need for the rest of our lives.